iPad video guestbook setup

How to set up an iPad video guestbook

Everything you need to turn an iPad into a video guestbook for your wedding or event: the kit, the app, Guided Access to lock it down, and where to place it. It takes about ten minutes.

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What you need

The full kit is simple. Only the first two items are required; the light and mic just make good video better.

An iPad (iOS 17 or later)

Any iPad running iOS 17 or later works — iPad 6th generation (2018) and newer. Votive runs entirely on the iPad, so no other device is needed.

A sturdy stand

A tabletop tripod or an iPad floor stand at chest height. Guests should be able to walk up and record without holding anything.

A ring light (optional)

A small ring light behind the iPad flatters faces in dim venues. Warm, soft light reads best on video.

A plug-in mic (optional)

For loud rooms, a small lightning or USB-C mic captures clearer voices. Votive uses the iPad mic by default, which is fine for most rooms.

Set it up in six steps

  1. 1

    Download Votive

    Install Votive on your iPad from the App Store. You only need the internet to download it and make a purchase — everything after works offline.

  2. 2

    Set your theme and guided prompts

    Pick a theme to match your event, then add guided prompts like ‘Share your favorite memory.’ Guided prompts are why guests know what to say instead of freezing on camera.

  3. 3

    Lock the iPad with Guided Access

    Turn on Guided Access (Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access) and start it inside Votive. This locks the iPad to the app so guests cannot exit, open other apps, or see your photos.

  4. 4

    Place it where guests gather

    Set the iPad near the bar, the entrance, or a dedicated table with a small sign. Guests leave the best messages where they already stop to talk.

  5. 5

    Test it, then let it run

    Record one test message, check the framing and sound, and leave it running all night. Votive saves clips locally on the iPad — no WiFi, no cloud.

  6. 6

    Relive it after the event

    Browse every clip and get an automatic highlight reel with music, made on-device. Export any clip or the full reel by AirDrop, Files, or Photos.

What it looks like set up

Real weddings using an iPad video guestbook with Votive.

iPad video guestbook set up on a stand at a barn wedding
A wedding guest recording a video message on the iPad guestbook
iPad video guestbook on a gold stand at a rooftop wedding
iPad video guestbook at a garden wedding with a leave-a-message sign

Don't let a single moment slip away.

Download Votive and give your guests a voice.

Download for iPad

Free to try. One purchase per event — every video is yours to keep, forever.

iPad Video Guestbook Setup — Votive